Solid-state synthesis of stoichiometric and dense CoV2O4 targets

Abstract

The CoV₂O₄ (CVO) spinel is a magnetically frustrated compound for which thin films, with their associated substrate-induced strains, can bring challenging new magnetic structures. Research on CVO thin films remains scarce to date, probably hindered by the complex synthesis of CVO stoichiometric targets necessary for their deposition. The difficulty to have V in its +III valence is a serious challenge. We present here a solid-state method for the production of polycrystalline stoichiometric single-phased and dense pellets of CVO. The procedure involves controlling the heat treatment atmospheres to ensure single-phased CoV₂O₄ powder and homogenising grains size by attrition to promote dense pellet sintering. The significant density of the prepared pellets allows their use as targets for the growth of thin films by techniques such as pulsed laser deposition (PLD) or sputtering and opens the way to alternative thin films depositions.